It has officially reached that time of year where everyone seems to have moved on from the fall season and fully transitioned to all things Christmas-themed. As a baked goods enthusiast, my Instagram page has transformed into an endless array of Christmas cookie recipes, from peanut butter blossoms coated in red and green sprinkles to chocolate cookies topped with cream cheese frosting and a dusting of crushed peppermint. While these images are undoubtedly scrumptious (and no one loves Christmas baking as much as I do), I want to remind you that there are a plethora of delectable Thanksgiving recipes out there that should not be overlooked! Below I have compiled a few of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts that you will not want to miss this holiday season.
First up, we have pumpkin cheesecake pie. A twist on the classic pumpkin pie, this easy no-bake version consists of a graham cracker crust topped with layers of pumpkin and whipped cream cheese fillings. Place the dish in the fridge for a few hours, top with a layer of cool whip, and that’s it! The slight tanginess of the cream cheese filling perfectly complements the spiced sweetness of the pumpkin, forming a perfectly balanced dessert. To simplify the process even more, you can substitute the homemade graham cracker crust with a store-bought one. You can find the full recipe here.
For a more decadent option that still fits the pie theme, you can also try out Pillsbury’s chocolate silk pecan pie. Another relatively simple recipe, this pie is composed of a store-bought pie crust, a light pecan filling, and a luscious creamy chocolate filling to finish it off. The nutty pecan filling perfectly balances out the richness of the chocolate, producing a wonderfully indulgent yet nuanced dessert. Similar to the pumpkin cheesecake pie, each of these fillings consists of simple ingredients such as sugar, eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla, making it a convenient recipe you can easily whip up even in the midst of holiday chaos. The full recipe can be found here.
Next up, we have one cup salad, which is essentially a fruit salad tossed with sour cream and marshmallows. This recipe is not technically a dessert, as it is typically served with the savory Thanksgiving meal, but is still a delightful sweet dish that deserves a place amongst your Thanksgiving spread. The ultimate example of low maintenance (you only need to measure the sour cream), its ingredient list is also highly flexible. Simply measure out one cup of sour cream into a large bowl, add chopped fruits in whatever variety and quantity you wish, and top with a generous serving of mini marshmallows. When I prepare this recipe, I like to add 2-3 bananas, 1-2 apples, a can of mandarin oranges, and a can of pineapples (juices drained), but you can truly customize the fruits to your liking. You could add cherries, strawberries, peaches, coconut, dried cranberries, or any other favorite fruits. Although the notion of spooning heaps of sour cream into your mouth is rather peculiar, the sweetness of the fruit juice and marshmallows completely masks any sign of the sour cream flavor, leaving behind a lightly sweet and fluffy delicacy.
Finally, we have pumpkin cinnamon rolls, a baked good that typically shows up at my house for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving but could definitely be enjoyed on the day itself. Seated at the end of fall, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to soak up pumpkin-flavored treats before peppermint and gingerbread take over, and these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are the perfect way to do just that. Infused with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and of course pumpkin, the rolls are baked to golden perfection and almost immediately topped with a luscious maple cream cheese frosting. Although they are a little more high-maintenance than the rest of the recipes in this list, I guarantee you will not regret the time and effort after sinking your teeth into one of these mouthwatering rolls. You can find the full recipe here.
Although this time of year can be chaotic, I urge you to take a little time out of your day and prepare one of these scrumptious recipes for Thanksgiving this year. It will be time to indulge in Christmas flavors before we know it, and you will not regret spending a few final moments savoring the fantastic delights Thanksgiving has to offer.
Freshman Lena Smith is a Staff Writer for The College Reporter. Her email is lsmith4@fandm.edu